My Sweet Southern Dixie
by Hannah Emily Bunker
Summary: Racetrack meets a mysterious girl after a fight. He falls head over heels for her, but what does she have to hide. And what happens when someone from his past returns back into his life? BEING RE-WRITTEN!
1. Prologue

My Sweet Southern Dixie

June 15, 1899

The night was muggy, normal for Georgia in late August. The night was starless and the moon hid its face, cloaking the small town with darkness. The silence was broken when the sound of thundering hooves roared on the dirt road. The riders leaned onto the horses, wanting to accelerate. The horses began to slow down as the city of Atlanta began to appear. The first rider removed her hood of her cloak and patted her horse. Her skin was a beautiful pale ivory color with rosy red cheeks. Her hair was golden like the rays of sun. It rolled out from her cloak as she smoothed it down.

"Caroline!" the other rider scolded quietly. "Put your hood on! They might see you!" Caroline slowly did what she was told and she and the other rider trotted on in silence.

"Mother," Caroline whispered. "I do hope this plan works." The other rider nodded silently as they continued to trot along.

"_Clip-clip. Clip-clop." _The horses walked along the paved roads of Atlanta. Caroline looked cautiously around the city. Sure, she was used to having very nice and lavish things from Atlanta, but she had never been to the actual city. Don't become overcome by the proximity of the city. She kept looking back, trying to see the life she was leaving behind.

"Caroline," her mother said. "Don't look back. He doesn't exist to you anymore. None of them do." Caroline looked to her mother with a forlorn look to her face.

"Mother, why can't you come with also? If you're brave enough to help me escape…" She asked, "Why don't you join me?" Her mother looked back at her with shame and sorrow and replied,

"When the preacher asked me 'Do you Charlotte Evangeline Rowan take Charles David Russell III to be your lawfully wedded husband; through better and worse, through sickness and health, to death do you part' and I said yes," She choked, "That sealed me to him. I am his property; like a Negro. Unless, God forbid, I am to perish, then I'm free. The life of a Southern wife isn't a happy one. I don't want you having that kind of life." The two women rode on as they soon reached the train station. "My mother never cared about my morality or what I thought about shipping me down from New York to marry a man I had never met."

"But unlike her," Charlotte continued on, "I love you and care about you." She said lovingly as she reached over and stroked her daughter's cheek. Caroline nuzzled her mother's hand for the last time probably. The two women removed themselves from their horses and entered the train station. While Charlotte ordered the tickets, Caroline played with a ring that resided on her finger. She removed it and read the inscription: _"To my beautiful Caro. May our lives together be merry. –Tom" _She fiddled with it for a while and placed on her finger again. "Dixie!" Her mother called casually. Caroline turned to the platform. The baggage man put her bag onto the platform as Caroline and Charlotte, mother and daughter exchanged goodbyes.

"Remember," Charlotte ordered. "Get a job at Andersson's Bakery and Gina Spinelli will meet you at the train station. Trust only the people you know you can trust." Caroline nodded as turned to get on the train.

"And darling," Charlotte said. "Please be careful. And stay away from Nikolas Wisel." Charlotte kissed her daughter on the head as she shooed her onto the train. Caroline took her seat and looked out the window. She took off her ring and chucked it into the grass beside the tracks. Slowly, the train chugged out of the station leaving Atlanta and her old life behind.

She wasn't Caroline anymore; She was Dixie now.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Chapter I**

My Sweet Southern Dixie

**HI!! Just a little FYI, I do NOT own Newsies, Disney does. The only characters I do own are Dixie, Tosca, Lion, and the entire Russell family. Enjoy! But be nice, this is my first Newsies fic :)**

"_Racetrack…Where are you?" A mysterious voice beckoned. "Here we go again." Racetrack thought to himself. He turned to the owner of the voice. The same beautiful blonde who weaseled into his head every night since the Strike ended and taunted him with her voice. "Come to me, Racetrack." Racetrack rolled his eyes and ran after her, but couldn't catch her._

"Aww, c'mon Kloppman, gimme anudda five minutes." Blink moaned. Jack rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and scratched the back of his neck. He looked over to Racetrack, who was still twitching in his bunk. Mush nudged Blink who motioned over to Jack. The three gathered around Race's bunk giving each other the thumbs up.

"And there goes Lucky, flying down da track. She's gonna make it." Mush announced. "But, dear me! She trips!" Race's subconscious face winced. Jack started beating on the bedpost. Race mumbled and he turned over on his side. The other three smiled goofily.

"And Seabiscuit wins the race." Blink shouted happily. Mush and Jack cheered and kept banging on the post.

"NO!!" Race cried as he popped up from his dream and hit his head on the headboard. He glared viciously at his friends as they kept on laughing like hyenas. "Wad da 'ell didja do dat foah?" He asked. Jack held onto his stomach from all the excessive laughing.

"C'mon Race." Mush said, "It was just a joke. Lighten up!" Race got up as his friends walked towards the washroom. _"I almost had her that time." _Race thought sadly. He pulled out a small photograph of a small family. _His _family. His father, Tony, owned a small general store with Race's mother, Teresa Higgins. They had Racetrack, or formally known as Anthony Roberto Maganzini II, in America after they had arrived. Two years later, Tosca Elisabetta Maganzini, or Tossie as Anthony called her, was born. Anthony promised in his innocent mind to always protect his sister no matter what. One night, Anthony and Tossie were almost asleep, until Teresa ran in and grabbed six-year-old Anthony and four-year-old Tossie.

**Little Italy, New York City, August 12, 1888**

"_Mi bambinis! Wake up! Unless you want to become little rotisseries!" Teresa cried as she snatched up Tosca in her arms._

"_Mama?" Anthony asked sleepily. It was unnaturally warm here, he thought. "What is happening? Where are we going?" _

"_I will tell you later tesoro." Teresa stroked his cheek and pulled him along. Anthony pulled away and grabbed a picture he hid in his sock drawer. It was a picture of him, Tossie, Mama, and Papa at Central Park. Tossi was happy because she had gotten a honey bun. _

"_ANTHONY ROBERTO MAGANZINI!" Teresa screamed. "GET OUT HERE!" Fear draped her voice as Anthony shoved the picture in his pocket. He ran outside to meet his mother and Tosca. He heard a gunshot and hid behind a trashcan. When they stopped, Anthony ran to his mother and sister. Tosca was crying as he saw his mother, lying there in the grass, maroon blood pooling around her. _

"_Anthony," she coughed, "Take care of little Tosca. Run! Before they find you. Your father can only fight them for some time." Anthony held her hand. His brown eyes welled with tears._

"_Don't leave, Mama." He choked out._

"_I will never leave you amore mio." Her eyes closed and her chest rose for the last time._

_Anthony took Tosca's little hand and ran for their lives until they reached an alley. Tosca sat down on an old couch. _

"_Tony? What happened to Mama?" She asked. Anthony pulled his baby sister into a tight embrace and didn't let go. _

"_Mama is gone." He choked out. "It is only us now, tesoro." Tossie cried and cried until she fell asleep. Anthony was still awake. "I will protect you, Tosca. No matter what."_

"I can't believe I broke that promise." Racetrack thought. He tucked the picture back away in tin mug. He reached for his cigar but only caught air. He looked over at Snipeshooter who was obviously chewing on HIS cigar. Racetrack grabbed it out of his mouth and whacked him on the forehead.

"Ey! Whad was dat foah?" Snipes asked angrily.

"Dat was foah stealin me cigah. AGAIN." Racetrack stuck the cigar in his vest pocked and patted it, showing Snipes that he had defeated the younger newsie.

"Hey, Lion. Gimme seventy papes." He demanded as he struck a match for his cigar.

"Why, no tip?" Lion asked teasingly. Lion was the new distributor from Chicago. He was young, only twenty-eight and was previously a Newsie leader. The younger newsies, especially Tumbler and Boots, took a liking to him and later the older newsies.

"Nah. Savin up foah a game of pokah wid Mush an Blink. Sides, Blink owes me a coupla bucks." Racetrack replied smugly.

"Hey Race," Lion whispered. "Didja hear bout da Russell goil?"

"Uh uh. Whad bout er?"

"She went missing bout a week ago." Race looked confused at his friend. "Do youse even know who I'm talking about." Race shook his head. Lion sighed and rubbed the back of his head. **(A/N: Lion is black. Think Dule Hill from Psych if you will) **"Da Russell's are like da Pulitzers of da South. Charles Russell's grandfaddah was a plantation owner till they outlawed slavery. Now, they own a sharecroppin' industry, which, Whad I heard from my second back in Chicagie, was worse then slavery. Da wife, Charlotte is completely against her husband's way of life. They got six daughters and a son. Charlie is the oldest. Then Mary Lou, Maggie, Jetty, Catherine, Caroline, and then Jolene. Caroline's the one that went missing. Rumor has it, she was supposed to be engaged to this old guy yadda, yadda, yadda and some of the ancestors of the former slaves helped her get to Boston."

Race nodded. "Same down dere too. Hoity Toities, stranger den fiction." Lion gave him an honest seventy papes, unlike Weasel ever did.

"T'anks Lion."

"Sure. NEXT!" Lion shouted. Race sat down and read the headline. Sure enough, Lion was right. **"Millionaire's Daughter Missing." **

"Hey Race, what's rollin?" Jack greeted as he sat next to Race.

"Ah, headline bout da richie goil. Pretty damn stupid, if youse ask me." Jack nodded his head in agreement. "Anyting else?"

Race patted his friend on the back and said, "Cowboy. Has youse lost yoah mind? You, of awl newsies, foahgot da Golden Rule od the Newsies?"

Jack glared at him. "I'se didn't foahget ya bum. I'se just gots a lot on me mind, dats awl."

"Wait? Youse dumpin Sarah?" Race asked hopefully. Jack shot daggers at him. _"Oops." _Race thought.

"Whad youse got against Sarah, ey Race?" He accused defensively. Race stood up as did Jack and they stared at each other, asking for a fight.

"Do ya want ere da truth, Francis? Do ya. Okay, here it goes. Sarah is a dictator. She keeps youse away from ya pals. We'se hasn't seen youse ovah at Medda's since last month. She even accused poor Mush takin er coin pouch. Seriously Mush takin a coin purse? I undastand Skittery probly doin it as a joke or Snipes tryin ta piss er off, but Mush Meyers? And also, when is da last time ya played pokah wid da guys? Like two weeks ago. Youse didn't even bet dat much. Also, she ain't much of a lookah eiddah and she smells like da Delancy bruddahs. So dere." He smirked, as if he won the debate.

"Oh yeah, Anthony? Ere's whad I think." Jack started. "Youse can't even keep a goil foah more den a week. Also, dey ain't da prettiest goils I'se eva seen eiddah. And Sarah would nevah blame Mush foah sumpin dat stupid. Besides, Anthony, youse couldn't keep ya own sista around til she got put in dat orphanage. Maybe she wanted ta get away from youse. Youse couldn't' have…" Jack was interrupted by Race's fist colliding with his jawbone and he landed with a loud thud.

"Che bastardo! Non portare in questa Tosca! Stavo cercando di ottenere per il suo cibo!" He ranted in Italian. _"You bastard! Don't bring Tosca into this. I was trying to get her food! At least she could've gotten a meal!" _He kicked Jack in the side and he would've killed him if Lion hadn't stopped him.

"Racetrack! Calm down man!" He shouted at the raging Italian. He helped Jack up. Both him and Racetrack shot daggers at each other.

"And by the way Jack," Race sneered, "Vai all'inferno spero voi e la vostra puttana moiré inseime." _"Go to hell and take your whore with you." _He spit where Jack was standing, took his papes, and walked off. Everyone else who watched them fight was stunned to see Racetrack THIS pissed off. They didn't know who this Tosca broad was, but don't bring her into an argument because he was apparently touchy about the subject. Also they really didn't know what he said, but they figured it was something pretty bad.

Race stormed along Main Street and mumbled something in Italian until, OOF! He tripped on the street, papers flying everywhere and pieces of bread, fruit, and some potatoes rolled out.

"Sorry bout dat." He apologized quickly as he and the owner of the food's hands met. He looked up at the owner of the hand and his eyes widened. She was beautiful. Her golden blonde hair shone in the sun. Her skin was fair, but it looked like a porcelain doll. But her eyes are what stood out the most were her eyes. Her eyes, they were a stunning blue color. They let love in and returned it to all who looked into them.

The girl stared contently at Racetrack. She stared into his dark eyes. They had a hard past, full of lost loved ones and seeing what the world really was at a young age, yet they were covered up in false innocence. He had dark hair, obvious for an Italian. Both of them could not ignore the beating of their hearts, like the ticking of the clock on the last day of school. They were broken out of their lovers trance when a very fat man stepped on the girl's other hand.

"Ouch!" She cried as the hand that was under Racetracks retaliated to soothe her wounded hand. "The nerve!" She put the rest of her things in her basket, wincing every time she used her hand.

"Are youse okay, miss?" Race asked still stunned by her beauty.

"I should hope so. I do hope it isn't broken." She replied with a southern drawl.

"Oh. Do youse need help pickin yoah tings?" Race placed a loaf of bread into her basket and an apple after that.

"Thank you very much. I should help you pick up your papers then. I am very clumsy as you can tell." She handed about fifteen papes to Race. He had about fifty papes on hand anyways. He picked up the other five and gathered them up, making sure he had all of them.

"Here, let me help ya up." He offered an outstretched hand to her and she took it. She wasn't paying attention to which hand she was using to get up and used her injured hand. She fell back after a sharp wince of pain, but Race caught her, his arm on her lower back and she stood back up.

"I'se sorry, but yoah hand is most definitely broken. Wid a man dat fat and da shoes he was wearin, he coulda broked a man's arm. Or he coulda sat on im, but dats getting off subject, miss."

"Oh where on Earth are my manners? I'm, uh Dixie. Yes, Dixie Mae Davis. Well my first name is Dorothy, but the girls that are in the boarding house I live in call me Dixie because of my accent." She blushed as tucked her basket under her arm and held out her able hand.

"Racetrack Higgins at yoah soivice," He bowed to her, which made her giggle. "Or Race. Whadever youse prefer." He shook her hand, sending electric waves up their spines.

"About yoah hand," He started, "We should get youse ta yoah boahdin house."

"That's perfect! I'm headed there anyways."

**Ah ha HA! My first chapter YAY! I'll be updating soon. Also to add some suspense, **

**WHO is Dixie and WHY does she have a Southern accent.**

**WHAT ever happened to Race's sister?**

**HOW did Race break his promise?**

**Only time will tell. o_O**

**REVIEW!! **


	3. Chapter 2

My Sweet Southern Dixie

Chapter II

Race and Dixie were walking along to her Boarding House. It was silent for a while until Dixie asked, "What do you do with those papers?"

"Youse serious, Dix?" Dixie blushed. Race rubbed the back of his neck and smiled sheepishly. "Youse don't mind if I'se calls ya Dix, do ya?"

"Of course not, Racetrack! I love it!" She exclaimed. Dixie then had glued her eyes to the sidewalk as they kept going. _Maybe I shouldn't have said that. Dixie Mae Davis you probably scared him off. _She mentally scolded herself. She looked over at him. He didn't mind at all. "Um, what were we talking about?" She asked. Race smirked and ran his fingers through his hair.

"How youse has nevah hoid of a newsie. Where didja live befoah ya came ere?"

"Georgia." She replied quickly. "What's a newsie?" Racetrack smirked and walked to a corner.

"Watch dis, doll." He said smugly. **"EXTRY! EXTRY! SOUTHERN MILLIONAIRE'S DAUGHTER MISSING! FAMILY OFFERS REWARD!" **

Dixie watched in horror as he sold his papes. _No! He's going to see my picture! He'll find out and turn me in! Racetrack would never do that to me? How do you know Dixie? You just met him. _Race ran over to her with a big grin on his face.

"Youse see, my sweet southern Dixie, newsies sell papes. Da people buy da papes. Da people know wads goin on in da woild." Dixie still kept her horrified expression on her face as she watched the people reading the paper.

"Youse 'kay, Dix?" Race said noticing her frightened demeanor.

"C'mon. L-lets get to m-my place." She stammered as she pulled Racetrack along. They got two blocks from her boarding house until Race stopped her and looked her straight in the face.

"Dixie, wad's da mattah wid ya? Foist ya wanna see wad I'se do foah a livin' and den youse get all scaihed." Dixie turned her head away and started walking towards the yellow house.

"C'mon Dixie!" He asked. "Jist tell me! I'se ain't gonna tell nobody!" Dixie stopped in her tracks and turned to him.

"Come inside. And hurry." She said as she dragged him into the old house. She took a deep breath and began her story.

"My father owed a lot of money to the Russells. He worked as an advisor to Mr. Russell. I was supposed to be married to a cousin of Mr. Russell to pay for the debts my father owed. I didn't like the guy all that much either. He had all these absurd believes about women, very Old South, if you ask me. I decided then and there I was going to run away."

"Since Caroline, the girl in the paper, and I looked so much alike." She continued until she was interrupted.

"Dixie? What are you doing?" An older woman in her late twenties walked out from the kitchen staring at the two. She gasped when she saw Racetrack, looking at Dixie, waiting for her to continue her story. "Racetrack Higgins? Is that you?"

"Hey Gina. What's rollin?" Race greeted as he shook her hand. Dixie looked at the two in confusion.

"You two know each other?"

"Yeah! Gina used ta be a newsie foah 'Hattan. Dated our old leadah too. She's da one who taught me hows ta play pokah." Racetrack smiled, remembering the old days.

"Hopefully, you're putting your poker skills only for entertainment, right?" She asked as she lightly punched his shoulder.

**October 15****th****, 1889 Manhattan Newsboys Lodging House**

"_What cha playin, Gina?" Seven-year-old Racetrack asked._

_Gina smiled at the little Italian boy. His dark brown eyes were like saucers as Bolt dealt the cards. _

"_It's called poker, kid." One of the older newsies snarled. Gina glared at him and he reluctantly looked back down at his cards. _

"_I'll teach you how to play. C'mon Beak deal 'im in." She said. Race watched contently as everyone betted, dealt, and folded. He played a few rounds and won some serious dough. He was so happy! He could go find Tosca tomorrow and bring her back here. She would be really good at selling papes and she could learn from Gina. She would have him to play with and a few of the other boys her age like Mush, Blink, and Skittery. _

"_Alright you little booger, time for bed." Gina said as she poked Racetrack in the side._

"_Stop it, Gina! That tickles!" He laughed as he collected his money. He scurried upstairs to the bunkroom, almost tripping over a chair._

"_Whatcha got Race?" Kid Blink asked curiously._

"_Yeah! What appened ta ya pocket Race?" Mush pondered, pointing at Race's bulging pocket._

"_Boys," He stated, "I'se discovered a wonderful game! It's called poker!" His expression was dreamy when he thought of the miracle game. Skittery, one of the newer newsies, scoffed and turned towards the others._

"_Everyone knows what poker is ya bum. Youse so stupid." Racetrack's little fists clenched up into to little balls and charged at Skittery, but was held back by Mush, Itey, and Bumlets._

"_**Im andando a uccidere voi si meanie culo!"**__ "I'm going to kill you, you meanie butt!"____Skittery didn't know what to do really. He didn't know if Racetrack was telling him off or shouting something totally random in Spanish. Or was it Italian?_

"_Ey! Whad's goin on up ere?" Kloppman asked impatiently. Gina must have heard the racket and came running upstairs while their leader, Bullets followed._

"Alright!" Bullets commanded, "Bed NOW!" He took Skittery by the suspenders and dragged him to his bunk. Mush held onto Blink for his life. Race squeezed his eyes shut and waited for him being thrown into his bunk. Instead, Gina gently guided him to his bunk.

"_Racetrack," she asked as she tucked him in. "Why must you pick fights? They're not going to do you any good." Bullets came over, shoved Gina aside harshly, and pulled Race up by the collar._

"_Listen, kid," He snarled, "If I'se sees youse pickin anuddah fight, I'se gonna make shoire me boys soak ya. Got it?" Race nodded his head fearfully. Bullets wasn't a very good leader. He picked on the younger newsies and made them his little birdies. Gina didn't like Bullets treating the younger ones like he did. Gina, being Bullet's second, didn't have a say in what she thought because not only was she a woman, she owed Bullets. Gina loved all the younger newsies like little brothers, but she always a soft spot in her big heart for Little Racetrack. She was the one who had found him sobbing at Sheepshead behind a corner._

"And look at my widdle Racetrack," Gina said teasingly, "Awl grown up and picking up me boarders." She pinched one of his cheeks as he wrinkled his nose. Dixie swallowed down a giggle, but kept a smile on her face. She forgot about her hand again and tried to pick up her basket and dropped it, following a hiss of pain from Dixie.

"Is ya hand okay, Dix?" Racetrack asked worriedly. He stroked her hand again as she winced again.

"I don't think so. It hurts awful bad." She said as pain was spread across her face. Gina came over and inspected it.

"What did you do? Punch a wall?" She fingered Dixie's hand, checking all major bones.

"Nah, I was helping heh pick up heh things. We kinda bumped inta each uddah when I'se was on me way to sell me papes." Racetrack answered. Dixie smiled as she remembered bumping into him.

"Racetrack!" Gina accused, "You did this to a poor, innocent woman?" Racetrack's eyebrows shot up in shock. Before he could say anything back, Dixie said, "Of course not!" Racetrack breathed a sigh of relief while Dixie finished her story.

"So I see." Gina replied. She sighed as she put Dixie's hand down gently on the table. "Well, your hand isn't broken, just sprained. Badly. But, since you are right handed, you can still go to work. I'll call Frau Andersson for you." Dixie's face glowed with happiness. As nice as Gina was, she didn't want to be in debt. Gina went to the kitchen to get some gauze.

"Race!" She called. "I am so terribly short and I need you to get something off of a shelf!" Race wasn't gonna back sass her in front of Dixie, so he reluctantly went to help. "Gina youse ain't shoit! Youse tallah den me." He said, Gina was tossing the gauze up and down like a ball.

"Has youse hoird anythin'?" He asked anxiously.

"No, I haven't Race." She replied impatiently. His face fell, biting his lower lip. "I haven't had any fifteen-year-old Italian girls named Elisabetta or Tosca board. I told you, when I do find someone close,"

"Youse call Kloppman."

"Racetrack," She said sternly, "It's been ten years. An entire damned decade!" Gina retaliated when she saw Race's hurt face. Only she and him knew about Tosca. "Racetrack, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that." She mussed Race's hair. "I know how hard it is for you. When I lost Thomas, I couldn't forgive myself." She walked out of the kitchen, gauze in hand. "Now go sell your papes! Mush probably sold more than you by now."

Race rolled his eyes and walked out of the kitchen. Dixie was by the front table, fiddling with a doily. She saw him walking out and walked over to him. They gazed at each other, not knowing what to say. Then, out of the blue, Dixie leaned forward and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you. If you hadn't walked me back,"

"Nah, it was nothin'." He said sheepishly. They kept looking at each other for a while. Racetrack tipped his hat, winked, and walked out the door. Dixie watched him go. Before he was half a block away, Dixie yelled.

"Racetrack!" Race turned towards her direction. She her hair looked prettier in the sunlight, or was that just him? Her blue eyes glowed with hope.

"I-I'd like to meet you for lunch later!" Race leaned onto a lamppost, missed, and fell into a puddle. Dixie couldn't help but giggle. Race was smiling sheepishly, she could tell.

"Yeah. I'se meet ya at Central Pahk round noon." He yelled back. He couldn't help but smile when he looked at Dixie. Her smile was contagious, the way her eyes sparkled when she did so was like magic. Back over where Dixie was, she couldn't help but smile when Racetrack smiled. She walked back inside to get her hand bandaged.


	4. Chapter 3

My Sweet Southern Dixie

Chapter III

"EXTRY! EXTRY!" Racetrack shouted. "WOMAN SUSUPECTS FOUL PLAY IN LOVAHS DEATH!" A few people came and bought some of his papes, but only a few. Racetrack rolled his eyes as he counted his papes. _"Gotta sell twenty more papes and I'm done. Maybe I should use that one article that scared the hell out of Dixie." _He thought hurriedly. _"Dixie," _His mind wandered to his encounters with Dixie that day. The way his heart felt like it was going to rip out of his chest and how when he made some sort of wisecrack it made her giggle, showing that beautiful smile of hers. If all he had to do was be his usual smart ass self to make her smile, then he was a very lucky man. Her eyes drove him absolutely crazy! They could sparkle when she was happy, glint when she was in pain, and shine when she was hopeful. They were like looking into an ocean of happiness. _"Hold on there, Race. Youse can't be falling in love." _His thoughts quickly went back to pape selling when he looked at his pocket watch.

"EXTRY! EXTRY! CHARLES RUSSELL HUNTS DOWN MISSING DAUGHTER!" Like earlier that day, people flocked to him like seagulls at a clambake. Before he knew it, Race had sold all of his papes. He smirked with pride as he walked to Tibby's for lunch. Race stopped himself as he checked his pocket watch again. _"Ah! I forgot about my date with Dixie!" _He turned the opposite direction and ran lightning fast, until someone stopped him. It was Mush. His big, brown eyes were round like plates, as he stared at Race.

"Are youse okay, Race?" He asked sympathetically. Race rolled his eyes and scoffed. He wasn't in the mood to be reminded of his fight with Jack this morning.

"Ya shouldn't be stickin ya nose inta uddah people's business, Mush." He replied grimly.

"But who's dis Tosca goil? C'mon Racetrack. Youse one a me closest friends, I'se known ya since I'se became a newsie." Racetrack scoffed.

"Yeah, yeah. I'se remembahs." He replied harshly. "Youse ran away cos ya old man beat ya and ya muddah died in a carriage accident." He stopped when he saw the forming tears in Mush's eyes. Racetrack felt his conscious punching him in the gut as a single tear fell down Mush's olive colored skin. "Looks", Race started quietly, "I'se knows it's sensitive subject. Dats da way," He apologized, but then choked as memories of Tosca flooded back to him. "Dat's da way it is wid Tosca." Racetrack gazed at the pavement for a while as he thought of what to say to his friend. Tosca's image became clearer as he remembered her. The way her hazel eyes shined when their mama brought home _caramellé_ for them. Boy, did Tosca like _caramellé_. She loved green. He didn't know why, but she had an obsession with it.

"Awlright Mush, do ya really wanna ere who Tosca is." Race asked sadly.

"Sure, I mean ya don't have ta tell me." He said nervously. Racetrack nodded and patted Mush's shoulder. Race looked at him seriously.

"Nah, ya need's ta know." He took a deep breath and started his story.

"Tosca is me little sista. Feisty little thing she was too. We lost our parents in a fiah when I'se was six an' she was foah. We lived on da streets foah a couple of months. We ate whad we could and slept wheah we'se could find sheltah." Mush nodded his head in agreement. Like any newsie, he knew what is was like to find food and shelter for himself, but Race had to do that times two!

"One day," He continued, "It was a nice day. We had been lucky enough ta sneak inta Sheepshead. Hoises woire Tosca's fav'rite animals. She loved da races. She liked seeing da hoises run. After a few of da races, she had gotten hungry. I told heh dat we'se couldn't get no food til we'se could find some money. Tosca was…" Race bit his lower lip and raked his fingers through his hair. This was hard for him. "She was as stubboin as a mule."

"Let go of me Tony! I'm hungry!" Tosca cried as Race held onto her wrist.

"_If you weren't so __**impaziente **__then we would go eat something after this race." He snapped back at her and went back to watching the races. Tosca's hazel eyes formed tears as her forehead wrinkled in frustration. _

"_I don't want to see anymore __**cavellis**__! I want some __**caramellé**__ NOW!" She yelled. Race turned around and slapped her face, letting his temper get the best of him again._

"_**Stai zitto! Sono stanco di sentire che si lamentano! Ho fame ancho!"**__ He yelled. "Shut up! I am tired of hearing you complain! I am hungry also!"____Tosca stood there as tears rolled freely down her round cheeks. She was stunned that her loving, older brother had slapped her. Yeah, he had a temper, but she had one too. It was in their blood._

"_**Ti odio! Tu sei il fratello peggiori del mondo!" **__She yelled and sobbed at the same time. "I hate you! You are the worst brother in the world." She broke free from his firm grasp and ran into the crowds. Racetrack reacted quickly and ran like one of the horses. He looked around frantically for her until he heard a high-pitched scream to his left._

"_TONY!" He heard Tosca scream. "HELP ME!" He ran to where Tosca was screamed. He saw a man try to take her. Tosca kicked and screamed and bit his hands. Race sprinted over to her kicking the man in the pants._

"_Leave her alone!" He cried. The man turned around, holding Tosca like a football, and punched Race in the face sending him backwards, knocking him out. _

"Da last ting I'se remembahs is dat bastahd takin Tosca away. I'se found out latah dat da man was Sydah. Jack was right. I'se let down me own lil' sista." He finished as he leaned against a building. Mush stared intently at him.

"I'se tinks youse and Jack should apologize." He blurted out. Race scoffed and smirked.

"Yeah, right. And pigs will fly." Mush patted his friend on the shoulder and smiled.

"If youse apologize, den he'll say he's sorry for sayin dat bout ya sista." Race smiled at his friend and punching lightly on the shoulder.

"T'anks, Mush." By habit he checked his pocket watch. "Dammit! Listen, Mush, I'se meetin someone in Central Pahk. I'se sees ya tonight." He yelled as he ran west. "And don't foahget! Youse owes me five bucks!" Mush chuckled and yelled back at his friend.

"Ya! And I'se as rich as Rockafellah!"

Dixie held up her skirts and ran like hell. She had gotten lost twice and had to ask random people if they had seen a short Italian man holding a bunch of newspapers. To no avail, they didn't know who the hell she was talking about.

"_Dixie! Next time, ask him where you're going to meet him!" _She scolded herself. She looked up at the sky and saw that dark clouds were forming above her. She kept looking at the sky and then her feet, until she felt her body crash into someone again. Whoever the person was, their lips were locked. She felt her whole body buzz as if she was being electrocuted. Her knees were going weak, so she had to hold onto the stranger who owned the pair of lips. His lips tasted like tobacco, a sweet savory taste that was inviting her to deepen the kiss. _"Don't become tempted, Dixie! Think of what would happen if Racetrack saw you! Sinful child." _She quickly pulled away, her eyes still closed as if she didn't want to see who was in front of her, although she opened them anyways. To her surprise, she was two inches away from Racetrack. _"Well, he saw you. But he's the one you were kissing." _Racetrack looked at her and smiled sheepishly. Dixie was beginning to blush like the dickens, and then Race stroked her cheek gently, which made her blush more.

"We just can't keep our hands off each uddah tahday." He said nervously. Dixie's blue eyes sparkled again like the ocean, only this time he couldn't get himself to concentrate on anything else BUT her eyes. Dixie on the other hand couldn't stop smiling as Race gazed at her. She was grateful that he was the one she locked lips with, but something inside her made her want to plant another on him just to breath in that tobacco smell off of his vest. She pulled him into a hug and just stayed like that for a while. Race stroked the back of her head gently and smirked to himself. "Youse really did miss me, didn't ya Dix?" Dixie let go of him and smirked mischievously, punching him playfully on the shoulder.

" Well, ain't you the modest one." She replied impishly. Race smirked and took her hand, leading her towards a bench in the park.

" So, lemme get this straight," Dixie mumbled as she ate her hot dog. Her first hot dog to be exact. "A hot dog isn't made out of dogs, it's made out of pig material." Race nodded his head strangely as he looked at her and asked,

"Where did youse come from again?" Dixie stopped chewing on her hot dog and looked at him innocently. A little bit of ketchup was on the corner of her mouth, which to Race, made her look pretty funny. Earlier, Race decided to buy them both a hot dog. He was surprised that she had never had a hot dog in her life. He ate it a normal speed, for a New Yorker, but she ate hers so slowly, savoring every bite.

"Georgia?" She swallowed. "My goodness, that was delicious." Race smiled at her. It was hysterical to see her be so clueless about common New York everyday knowledge.

"Georgia must be a whole nuddah world." He licked his thumb and wiped the ketchup off her face. Dixie pulled away to the other side of the bench, tuning red again with her head down in shame.

"Excuse me. I didn't mean to be such a pig. I don't normally eat like that." Racetrack scooted closer to her and rubbed his hand up and down her arm.

"Rule numbah one ta soivivin in New Yoik: Youse don't need ta be prim and proper like a hoity-toity." He assured her. Dixie stood up and held out her hand to him.

"Shall we take a stroll?" She asked mischievously as she arched her eyebrow. Racetrack took her hand as she led him along.

"So," She said. "Tell me about being a newsie." Race scoffed as they walked along.

"What can I say? We sell papes."

"Well, what about that strike? I heard about that in Georgia." She replied smartly.

Racetrack smirked. "It stahted out when Pulitzah wanted ta raise da newspaper prices by ten pahcent foah da newsies. Being a newsie ain't a walk in da pahk, so to speak," He motioned at the park scenery as a cooler wind blew as they walked. Dixie moved in closer to him and laid her head on his shoulder. Race was kind of shocked, but they kept walking through the park. "We'se gotta pay foah da papes we'se don't sell. I'se lives in a boahdin house neah ouah **(our) **distrabution centah. Da guy who runs it is Kloppman. Nice old guy. Been around since Gina became a newsie. Anyways, ouah leadah, Cowboy…"

"Why do they call him Cowboy?" Dixie asked.

"Cos, he weahs a cowboy hat that hangs behind his back. So, he and Davey decided ta go on strike, bringing everybody wid them. Well, tings took a toin foah da woist aftah a few days. Jack has dis friend, heh names Medda, she owns Irving Hall and performs dere every night, lets us use Irving foah a rally ta get awl da newsies on ouah side. Den, Pulitzah hiahs some thugs and calls da bulls…"

"He called in cattle?" She asked.

"No, no. A bull is whad we'se call a cop. Or a policeman or whadevah youse calls 'em back home. So, Pulitzah gets da bulls tahgethah ta break up da rally. The arrest everybody who attended and beat whoevah who tried ta get away. Got a good beatin from one a da bulls. Good ol' punch in da stomach." Dixie's jaw dropped and her hands flew to her mouth.

Race laughed and gave her shoulders a light squeeze. "Don'ts worry Dix, I came outta it alive didn't I? Anyways, den we'se finds out dat Jack was lying ta us about who he really was. His real name is Francis Sullivan and his dad was a moidaer **(murderer) **and was gonna be sent ta jail. Da next day, we'se goin ta get ouah papes and deres Jack awl dressed up like a scabber or a richa newsie who gets paid moah. We'se really thought we'se lost im dat day until Les, Davey's youngah bruddahs comes runnin to da lodgin house sayin dat Jack and Davey woire making a newsies pape foah us ta give to da woikin boys a New Yoik. Sure enough, it woiked. We had coal minin kids, factory goils, shoe shinahs, every job a woikin kid could get. And, we'se beat im." Racetrack said proudly.

"That's amazing!" She said in awe. Racetrack smirked in pure pride. "Well, it's not everyday I'se has ta be day hero." Dixie laughed and smacked him playfully.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter IV

Tosca's POV

The rain was coming down on the pavement like bullets. It was soothing as I kneeled down at my adopted mothers grave. The pitter-patter of the rain gave me a rhythm as I drew hearts in the dirt. Being alone, listening to the rain reminded me of my childhood. Today was the day that she died. The same day my birth parents died also and Tony and I were put on the streets.

Tony. His name echoed through my head. He was the one who held me after our real mother was shot after the fire. He was the one who protected me and made sure that I had food. I saw him grow from a boy to a man in only a few weeks. I felt guilty that I was such a brat to him. I was tired and hungry. Stupid caramellé. If it were not for caramellé, Tony and I would still be together.

I missed his smile and how he would sing to me if I was sad. He had such big ears when we were littler. He hated when I pulled on them. The rose that I held in my hand was poking me with its thorns, so I placed it on mamá's grave. After I was taken from Tony at Sheepshead, this man took me to a Catholic Orphanage in Queens. I do not know exactly why, but I have always liked the rain for some odd reason. The sound of rain hitting the pavement was what describes me, hitting whatever it likes with force. It was the same way at the orphanage. After I had gotten into a fight and had gotten punished, I would go sit at the windowsill and count each raindrop. Sometimes, I wished on those raindrops. I wished that an Italian family could adopt me. I wished that I could read English, like the other children. But most of all, I wished I could see _mí fratello_ again so I could apologize to him for the way I acted. That was when I was six.

On my eighth birthday, a woman named Contessa adopted me. She was so kind and treated me like her own. The best part was she was Italian, like me, so we spoke the same tongue frequently at home. She promised me that someday, we would sail to Italy and not have to worry about the prejudices that we faced here in New York. But, when I was ten, she was married to a horrible, horrible man named Peter and his two daughters, Genevieve and Clara.

Genevieve and Clara were awful when Contessa was not around. They called me a pig and stupid because I eat fast and Contessa was still saving up for she and I to go to Italy, so she and I decided that I would not learn to read in English, unless necessary.

Peter was worse than his daughters. He would hit me if I didn't say a certain phrase in English, like "It's gonna be a hot one darling." I would probably say, "Eets goeeng bee a hut juan darling." That would usually get me a slap in the face. I counted the days for when Contessa and I would go to Italy. That all changed when she became very, very sick. She had gotten Pneumonia from a worker at the factory she worked at. I remember she held me in her arms in her deathbed and said to me,

"_You shall never be alone, mí caro. I am always a star away."_ She rasped.

I stroked her face with my finger. I was not ready to let her go yet.

"_But what about Italia?" _

"_Maybe someday Tosca, but now, you must be brave. Never let anyone put you down because of your race. Peter will help you with your reading."_

"_No, Contessa! He is cruel to me! Please do not leave me with him!" _I cried. Then, she kissed my cheek and she said she loved me. Her breath rose for the last time and she closed her beautiful brown eyes forever. I screamed for her countless times until Peter dragged me out and gave me my first black eye. I spent three awful years as their maid, like that one story my birthmother told me, _Cenerentola. _I prayed to Him to give courage to run away. I would run away to find Tony in Brooklyn and become a newsgirl, which he hopefully did.

Peter caught me once while I was praying and he punched me. He called me a witch and that he would kill me. I grabbed his hand and bit it as hard as I possibly could. After I did that, he knocked me out. I do not remember anything until the next morning when he started to call me a whore. I did not figure out that he had taken away my childhood from me until later. That is when I planned my escape. I was angry with God for letting him do that to me. I was angry that Contessa had not protected me from him while she was in heaven. I was even angry with myself for being such a little brat that day with Tony. I stuffed all my important belongings into a burlap sack and I ran.

After three years, I was finally free. After being always told what to do, I was free! One problem though. I had forgotten to take some money. That is when I found Frau Andersson. I had lied to her, telling her that I was fourteen instead of thirteen. Being as clueless as she is now, I got the job and she let me live in the cellar as long as I had my job.

So there is that. That is how I got to be Tosca. I knelt down and cried over Contessa's grave. I prayed that she would reunite me with Tony again.

"I knew you'd be here, whore." A menacing voice said behind me.

Oh shit.

Third Person

The rain had finally stopped after a while. Racetrack and Dixie walked along hand in hand both giddy as children. Dixie was laughing a story that Racetrack had told her. And of course, they were soaking done to the bone.

"This Kid Blink sounds like a character. I'd love to meet him!" Race smirked as they kept on walking.

"Well," He said. "Dere's dis party at Medda's, ya know Jack's old friend, and I'se was wondahin..." Dixie nodded her head. She knew what he was going to ask. She just wanted to see how he would deliver it. "And…um…I'se was wondahin…if youse would like ta join me?" He asked nervously.

"As in a date?" Dixie asked coyly.

"Yeah. If youse doesn't wants ta go, dats awlright wid me." Dixie smiled, kissed his cheek, and laid her head on his shoulder as they walked.

"I'd love to go with you." Racetrack grinned from ear to ear. "Is it formal?" She asked.

He was about to say something until they heard a shrill from the graveyard.

"Unless the dead is rising," Dixie cried as she pointed her thumb to her left. "I think someone's very hurt! We have to help them!" Racetrack put his hands on her shoulders and looked her straight in the eye.

"Dix," He began, "Dere's a lotta people in New York who's lost dere loved ones. Dere probly still in mournin. Just leave em' alone and de'll be fine." Dixie shook free of his grasp and ran towards the graveyard. Race rolled his eyes and ran after her. Dixie hopped the fence at saw Tosca being attacked by a man, who looked to be in his late forties.

"Look whore, you're coming back with me! Clara's been waiting for her favorite servant to serve her tea again." He snarled as he held down Tosca's wrists. Tosca squirmed and kicked him in the gut.

"I am never going back there. You will have to kill me first." She replied with much venom as he.

"Alright then. So be it." He pulled out a knife and held it to her heart. Dixie sprinted over to the man and tapped his shoulder.

"What the hell do you?" He was interrupted by Dixie's fist colliding with his nose. Tosca rolled out of the way and covered her head near a grave. The man screamed in pain as blood cascaded down his face as into his mouth. He then kicked Dixie in the stomach so she landed on her back. He took this chance to pin her down, his big hands on her wrists and his legs wrapped uncomfortably around her waist.

"Now you're going to get it, bitch." He whispered in her ear. He gave Dixie a hard kiss on the mouth and tried to penetrate his tongue in there too. She hated it. It wasn't like Racetrack at all. He suddenly stopped kissing her because she felt dirt fall on her face. She could hear screaming and shouting in Italian, was it? She opened her eyes and saw Racetrack fighting that man for her. She scooted over to Tosca and held her. Tosca was confused at this gesture at first but kept her eyes closed. Racetrack threw a punch at the man's jaw and then man fought back by giving Race a shiner. The fight finally ended when Race grabbed the man by the collar and bore his brown eyes into the man's gray eyes.

"_Lascia le donna da sole o vi sará sempre peggio che un naso rotto." _"Leave those women alone or you will be getting worse than a broken nose." He snarled. The man scrambled backwards and shouted,

"I'll be back Tosca. I know where you live so you're little friends won't be there to save you next time!" He ran off holding his nose. Race glared at him for a while. _"I'm going to kill that bastard. I swear. If he touches Dixie like that AGAIN, oh yeah, he'll be getting much." _He shook his head, bringing him out of his rage and looked at Dixie. Dixie was curled up with that other girl. That other girl looked…very familiar.

"Dix?" Dixie looked up and him. Her blue eyes were flooded with tears. Dixie stood up and embraced him and cried into his shoulder.

"Racetrack I'm sorry. I shouldn't have run off like that. Please don't be angry with me." She sobbed. Race held her and stroked her back. Dixie let go after a few minutes and went back over to the girl.

"Tosca, I want you to meet my friend. Well, he's more like someone I'm seeing. Like an escort." Race smirked as he gazed upon Dixie. She had a good sense of humor and could through a good punch. She drove him crazy with her virtues and manners. Like a hoity toity. "Tosca, this is Racetrack. I figured you two were related somehow. You both look very much alike, except for your eyes Tosca." T

Tosca's eyes widened when she looked at Racetrack. Could it? It couldn't possibly be,

"Tony?" She choked out. "Do you remember me?"


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter V

"_Tony?" She choked out. "Do you remember me?"_

Racetracks POV

Tony? I hadn't been called Tony since…that day. Her hazel eyes gazed up at me. They were so innocent looking, like a kid who wasn't ready to grow up, yet the turn of events that had probably happened to her changed all of that. Kind of like Mush's sort of, except her eyes were hazel. Wait…. Are her eyes hazel? I looked into her eyes again and saw they were very pretty. Well, not as pretty as Dixie's. You can't top Dixie's eyes, ever. Her dress was green, along with her bracelet and her shawl. It can't be Tosca? Can it? Nah, Tosca's probably dead.

"Tony?" She whimpered.

"Tosca? It's me Anthony. Remember the pahk and the store back in Little Italy? And mama? She used ta bring youse home caramellés. Youse loved caramellé. And-and when I'se hid your beah and I'se wouldn't tell ya…" I had this weird feeling in my gut, like I was scared. And I, Racetrack Higgins, do not under any circumstances get scared. Tosca wrapped her arms around my neck and cried. I thought my shirt was gonna rip from all the moisture that it was getting. Who gives a shit, I'm just happy to have Tosca back. After ten years, I finally had my baby sister back with me in my arms, like we were young again.

"Tony, I cannot believe you are alive!" She sobbed. "I thought you were dead after that man had hurted you! I am sorry for being a little _cagna!_" I held her tight for a long time. I didn't want to let her go. What if that guy came back for her and killed her? He said he knew where she lived. Question is, where does she live? Gina said that she didn't board at her Boarding House I glanced over at Dixie who was leaning on a grave sleeping. That fight sure took a lot out of her. She tried to protect Tosca. She wasn't doing it for the good of humanity. She and Tosca were probably good friends at that bakery she worked at. Dixie was so beautiful when she slept. It was like looking at an angel sent from heaven. Well, that's what Dixie was. An angel. Tosca must've seen me look at Dixie and slapped my cheek comfortingly.

"You like her, yes?" I smirked as I embraced her.

"Youse bet, Tossie. Youse bet." She let me go and shook Dixie lightly. She stirred slightly and opened those gorgeous eyes of hers.

"Is Tosca okay? Are you okay?" She mumbled. I and kissed her on the lips. Dixie was surprised at first, but then deepened the kiss.

Third Person

Tosca smiled as she watched her brother kiss Dixie. She could tell they liked each other. At work, Dixie couldn't focus. She kept staring off into space and smiling goofily. Tosca had to nudge her just to get her mind back on her work so her pay wouldn't be reducted. Also, Racetrack had come to Dixie's rescue when Peter attacked her. She coughed and the two lovebirds looked up at her. They both blushed as Tosca waved at them.

"Come on Dixie, I shall walk you back to work. I need to resign anyways."

"Resign? As in quit?" Dixie asked frantically as she got up. Tosca nodded her head solemnly.

"Tosca! You don't have to quit because of that man! You're just giving him the pleasure of being dominant over you!" Dixie cried. Tosca shook her head and laughed.

"Dixie, I live in the basement of the bakery! He knows where I live! I have to quit and find somewhere cheap to live! I can't go back to that…that hell hole!" She practically shouted. Adrenaline pumped through her veins as she took deep steady breaths. Racetrack looked at his sister and then to Dixie is shock… and a little bit of fear. Whatever this was about, he was not getting into it.

"Oh Tosca!" Dixie exclaimed as she hugged Tosca, who seemed kind of uncomfortable with a total stranger constricting her. Racetrack was stifling a laugh. Tosca glared at him.

"Dixie, I cannot live with you! What about your rent? Frau Andersson does not pay much." Dixie let go, kind of hurt. Tosca realized what she had done and stroked her shoulder and smirked.

"Whad about da Lodgin House? Youse can stays wid me, Tossie." Racetrack said as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "We'se gots a extra room, Kloppman would like an extra hand, and I'se'll pay foah ya too!" Tosca smiled sadly and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Tony," She replied excitedly as she clasped her hands together. "That is a wonderful idea! But what about my job? He might be there!" Dixie put her hand to her chin and paced back and forth. Race and Tosca exchanged puzzled glances. Finally Tosca asked,

"Dixie, what are you doing?" Dixie kept pacing until she walked over to Tosca with a mischevious grin on her face. "You are not going to kiss me, are you?"

"No, no. I need to borrow something of yours. This is going to fool Frau Andersson for sure." Dixie took off Tosca's shawl, dabbed it on Racetrack's bloody knuckles, and bunched it up. Racetrack smiled as Dixie kept wrinkling up Tosca's green shawl.

She had an ingenious plan and he knew it.

"Frau Andersson! Frau Andersson!" Dixie cried as she stormed into the bakery. Frau Andersson was not very happy to see her.

"Fraulein Davis! You are more that ten minutes late! And on your first day! Shameful, shameful child." She replied hastily as she marked on a notebook with the girl's names on them. Sarah and three other unidentifiable girls snickered at Dixie.

"But Frau Andersson…Tosca is…oh lord she's dead!" Dixie 'sobbed' as she crumpled to the floor of the bakery. Sarah jaw practically dropped to the floor and the others clasped their hands on their mouths. Dixie's shaky hands held out Tosca's shawl to Frau Andersson. Frau Anderssson gasped when she saw the blood on the shawl. Frau Andersson took it tenderly and fingered each stitch and rip that was in it.

"How Fraulein?" She asked on the verge of tears.

"I-I was coming back from lunch in the park and I s-saw her in an alley all beat up. Whoever did this to her had taken her stockings and bloomers and strangled her and beat her and… It was so awful ma'am! I grabbed her shawl and ran to tell you!" Dixie started on a whole new wave of tears as she cried into Frau Andersson's skirt. Frau Andersson stroked her head calmly, pulled her up, and led her to the basement. Sarah and the other three watched sadly as they went down to the basement. _"So this is where Tosca lived." _Dixie thought.

"Fraulein Carmine lived down here. I had found her on the streets about a year ago. Poor little thing, so thin and frail. She worked hard everyday until Fraulein Jacobs came to work here too. Fraulein Jacobs treated the poor girl badly because of her race. I could not fire her because I had no proof." Frau Andersson wiped a tear away from her eye as she pulled out a bulap sack. "She kept her valubles in here. You can have them if you want. You were probably the nicest one to her." She turned on her heel and ran back upstairs sobbing. Dixie felt bad for making Frau Andersson cry, but this was for Tosca. She opened the sack and pulled out a picture of a woman. She was beautiful. Looked nothing like Tosca though. She then pulled out another picture of a little boy and a girl with their parents. These people had to be Tosca's family, she could tell by the little boy, who had to be Racetrack at the time. She stuffed the things into the sack and walked back upstairs with a sad, forlorn face. Frau Andersson sat at a table with her hands on her head, remembering Tosca.

"Frau Andersson, I am going to go to my apartment to give these things to Gina. She will give them to the her family for the funeral." Frau Andersson nodded and shooed her on her way.

"So baby sister," Racetrack said as they approached the Lodging House, "Welcome home! Youse will finds da living conditions very fancy. Unless youse enjoy da rats." Tosca giggled as they entered the place. Tosca's eyes widened at the interior. It was nicer that some of the places she had to hide in, but not as nice as Contessa's townhouse. How she missed Contessa. Although it was the day of her death, she had also reunited with her brother again. Contessa was looking down at her right now, smiling. Smiling that she had done her job to make her _bambina _happy again. Tosca wandered to the stairs and saw a framed article. She saw her brother and a few other boys his age making big, tough guy poses. She laughed at the faces they made. She especially like the boy hiding behind the one that was holding his foot. He looked like a fairy-tale prince. She

"Ey, Kloppman." Race yelled as he leaned on the counter. Tosca looked at the old man. He had to be in his sixties or so and put some books on the counter. "I'se gots a new costamer. She's me sistah. Heh name's Tosca. Gots someone followin her so I, being da kind gentleman that I'se am, offered to let heh stay here. I'se'll pay foah heh." Kloppman raised his eyes in surprise as he placed the books in their proper place.

"Okay then," He said reluctantly. "But the young lady will have to work here. Can't have you living on the streets." Tosca smiled and hugged her brother. "This is wonderful! I will work very hard for you Signor Kloppman!" Tosca twirled around giddly.

"Dats ya sistah?" A voice said. Tosca turned around to see a boy with brown eyes.


End file.
